General Counsel's executive clemency files 1961, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1983-2000 (bulk 1995-2000)

ArchivalResource

General Counsel's executive clemency files, 1961, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1983-2000, (bulk 1995-2000)

General Counsel's executive clemency files 1961, 1965, 1968, 1974, 1983-2000 (bulk 1995-2000)

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/tslac/20106/20106-P.html

These are clemency applications presented to Texas Governor George W. Bush by his General Counsel's office for prisoners or convicted felons out on parole wishing a pardon, asking to have their sentence commuted, asking for an emergencymedical reprieve, or asking for a pardon/commutation under Senate ConcurrentResolution 26 (passed by the 72nd Legislature in 1991), which requires the Governor to focus special consideration upon pardon applicants whose crime arguably wasa response to severe spousal abuse. The files contain a pardon application tracking form; an executive summary from the General Counsel (GC) to Bush stating a summary of the facts, evidence, proceedings, the Board of Pardonsand Paroles recommendation, the GC recommendation, and the Governor's decision- deny or grant (these are initialed by the Governor); or memos with factsabout the applicant, not including voting information. Dates covered are 1961,1965, 1968, 1974, 1983-2000, the bulk dating 1995-2000. There are voting memos present for most cases, some that list multiple cases. These memos weresent to the governor and contain a minimum of facts about the case with the GC's recommendation (deny/grant). Also present may be notes about the case,pardon proclamations, correspondence of trial officials and attorneys with the governor and/or the Board of Pardons and Paroles (BPP), court records, BPP voting summaries, BPP case file materials, Texas Dept. of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) inmate records, criminal histories, law enforcement records, press releases, clippings, and petitions for pardons based on innocence, such asDNA testing in old rape cases that exonerates the inmate.

Texas State Archives